HB 1149 Summary

• Establishes decommissioning requirements for commercial wind energy facilities in Hawaii, requiring owners to safely remove turbines, towers, buildings, cabling, and foundations to 30 inches below grade and restore land to its prior condition.

• Requires wind energy facility owners to complete decommissioning within 12 months of abandonment or end of useful life, with the landowner authorized to complete the work and access financial security if the owner fails to do so.

• Mandates that owners file evidence of financial security (surety bond, performance bond, letter of credit, or parent guaranty) with the state coordinator before commercial generation begins, covering decommissioning costs minus salvage value.

• Financial security amount must be updated every five years during the facility's useful life, and owners who fail to file required information face administrative penalties up to $1,500 per day.

• Exempts existing wind energy facilities from these requirements if they have a lease or agreement providing for decommissioning, or if constructed on land owned by the facility owner; applies to new construction and facilities entering or renewing power purchase agreements.